Latch



T. A. WATTS.

LATCH.

APPLICATIQN FILED JAN. 10. 1921.

Patented Jul 11, 1922.

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To 77 wokm 'i-t may conicerw citizen of the United States, residing atSpringfield, in thecounty "of Clark and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which the followingis; .awspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in catches, and it moreparticularly relates to catches for fastening the lids of burialcaskets.

The object ofmy invention is to provide a catch which is of simpleconstruction and effective in operation, and also one the parts of whichmay be easily and quickly assembled without'the employment of rivets orother similar securing devices.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a latch embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a plate having arectangular-shaped opening 1, positioned midway the width of the plate,lying for the greater part below the center thereof. The plate also hasa rectangular-shaped notch 1", in its upper edge in vertical alinementwith the opening 1 and is further provided at either side with a roundopening 1 to receive the screws or other fastening devices which secureit to the casket cover.

Attached to the rear side of the plate 1,

' is a housing, the rear wall of which is represented by 2, the sidewalls by 2 and the bottom by 2 the front of the housing being closed bythe plate and the top being open. The rear wall, it will be noticed, isinclined so that the housing is of less depth at the bottom than at thetop. In order to secure the housing to the plate, I form on the upperforward corner of each of the sides thereof, and also on the forwardedge of the bottom thereof, lips 2, the upper ones being projectedthrough the notch 1 and the lower ones under the plate 1 and then bentor clinched against the forward face of the plate to firmly clamp thehousing to the plate.

A latch 3 is supported by the plate and housing thus formed. The centralportion Mme.

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- 3 t an lies within the housing back or the plate, with the lower. end13 bent at right-angles ina forward direction andprojecting through theopening 1 to form the latch proper, and the upper portion bent atsubstantially right-angles and projected through the notch 1 was.indicated =at.3 the extreme outer end of theupper portion being bentupwardly as indicated at 3 to form a finger piece. The outer edge of theturned-over part of the portion 8 engages with the keeper (not shown).Extending laterally from each side of the latch at the juncture of theportions 3 and 3 is a trunnion 5; these trunnions being journaled in thewalls of openings 5 formed in the sides of the housing.

Located in the housing is a curved flat spring 4, the extreme upper endthereof bearing against the latch portion 3 at a point but slightlyremoved from the juncture of the portions 3 and 8 and the central backportion thereof against the rear wall 2 of the housing; the extremelower end thereof being bent upwardly as indicated at 4? and bearsagainst the rear side of the plate 1 just beneath the latch; the contactof the upper end of the spring with the latch portion 3 and theinclination of the back wall of the housing serving to hold the springagainst downward movement, and contact of the part 4 with the latchpreventing upward movement.

The tendency of the spring is to throw the latch member to latchingposition, or to the position shown in the drawings.

By the construction described, it will be seen that a very simple latchis provided of few parts which may be readily as sembled and held inassembled position without the aid of rivets or other securing devices.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a plate, a housing securedthereto, partly located in said housing, and a fiat spring in saidhousing bearing on said latch and also having a bearing point on onewall of the housing and also on said plate to provide for supporting thesame.

2. In a device of the character described, a plate, a housing securedthereto, a latch partly located in said housing, and a flat spring insaid housing bearing on said a latch latchpthe rear wall of said housingbeing inclined so that the said housing decreases in depth toward thelowerend, said spring having a bearing point against the rear itscentral portion bearing on the rear wall of said housing.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting plate, ahousing'secured thereto, a latch pivotally supportedby the side walls ofthe housing the lower end of said latch being extended through anopeningin said plate and the upper end extended to a point beyond the frontface of said plate, and a flat spring in said housing having bearingpoints, respectively, on the latch, rear Wall of the housing and plate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day ofJanuary 1921.

THOMAS A.- WATTS. Witness:

CHAS. I. WELOH.

